Diane Hanson

Diane (Dee) Hanson, 61, of Newcastle, Nebraska, passed away Monday, March 20, 2023, after a long hard battle with breast cancer.

Dee requested a Celebration of Life instead of a funeral.  Her celebration will be held at 1:00 p.m. on April 15th at the Eagles (FOE) Club, Vermillion, South Dakota, with family and many friends present to share and listen to stories and celebrate Dee’s life.

Hansen Funeral Home in Vermillion is in charge of the arrangements. A private burial will be at a later date.

Dee was born on April 5, 1961, in St. Charles, Missouri to Henry Pratt and Patty Falkey.  She worked for the past 15 years at the University of South Dakota, and always had a several side jobs and volunteer work happening at the same time.

Dee was married to Rich Hanson on March 27, 1992, in Elk Point, South Dakota. She was a member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles.

Dee enjoyed NASCAR racing, fishing, cooking for anyone that wanted to eat or needed food, growing tomato plants, gardening, and helping anybody that needed help.

She fought a long hard battle for five years and always kept the frame of mind that she was going to beat this. She refused to accept sympathy or acknowledge any pain she suffered, always refusing to give up.  When suggestions were made that she should slow down, her reply was, “I’m not a quitter!”  She lived her life doing it “her way.”

She is survived by her husband, Rich of Newcastle; her sons Michael and Joshua Davidson, and Josh’s children, Pollux Davidson, Isaiah Cliff, Lucas Johnson, Malina Johnson; a sister Linda Bit; and too many friends to count.

She was preceded in death by a son, Jason, and her parents Henry Pratt and Patty Falkey.

In lieu of flowers, donations to the family will be used for a memorial in Dee’s honor.